The Relationship between Mindfulness and Wise Reasoning among College Students: The Mediating Role of Personal Growth Initiative

Wang YiMeng Zhen-Dong WANG Fengyan FengyanWang

Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2022, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1) : 54-60.

PDF(662 KB)
PDF(662 KB)
Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2022, Vol. 45 ›› Issue (1) : 54-60.

The Relationship between Mindfulness and Wise Reasoning among College Students: The Mediating Role of Personal Growth Initiative

  • Wang YiMeng1,Zhen-Dong WANG1,2,Fengyan FengyanWang3,3
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Abstract

The importance of wisdom has been planted out by many scholars, the field of wisdom has gradually entered the public view since the 1980s. After reviewing the articles in this field, we found that some psychological researches has given evidence for the associated with positive psychological qualities, such as life satisfaction, happiness, psychological health, as well as mindfulness(Thomas, Bangen, Ardelt, & Jeste, 2017; Adelt, 2008). Bryant and Veroff (2007), researchers in the field of positive psychology, found that individuals with high wisdom level also have high level of mindfulness; Aderlt’s(2008) comprehensive view of wisdom was based on Clayton and Birren’s (1980) traditional eastern view of wisdom, she believes that wisdom includes concentration and meditation, which is compatible with the concept of mindfulness, and its core characteristics are "attention and perception". Therefore, we inferred that the relationship between mindfulness and wisdom might have a significant positive correlation. Mindfulness could provide environment and possibility for the growth of wisdom(Adelt, 2008). Just as individuals do not grow naturally with age, neither does wisdom. Individuals with mindfulness traits may have a high level of wisdom, or be able to think and solve problems wisely. However, wisdom requires not only concentration and awareness like mindfulness, but also the accumulation of individual life experience, moral reasoning, life attitude and so on. Aderlt (2010) suggested that individuals, willing to actively learn and reflect from the life experience, are more likely to gain wisdom in the process of personal growth. It’s consistent with the research of Franco, lFAM and Salvador. (Franco, lFAM & Salvador, 2011). Recent studies by Ankita and Roshan, using mindfulness intervention (18 weeks), found that mindfulness training can target certain components of wisdom. Therefore, we hypothesized that mindfulness had a positive predictive effect on wisdom, and personal growth initiative had a mediating effect. Using Chinese version of Situated Wise Reasoning Scale (SWIS), Chinese version of Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (Ch-FFMQ) and Chinese version of Personal Growth Initiative Scale-II (C-PGIS-II) surveyed 242 students, including 132 female students, 110 male students (125 undergraduate students, 127 postgraduate students). The study analyzed the correlation among mindfulness, personal growth initiative, and wise reasoning. The results showed that: mindfulness was significant positively correlated with wise reasoning, and personal growth initiative plays a part of the intermediary role in the impact of mindfulness on wise reasoning. This study expanded the research on the factors affecting the wisdom, explores the mechanism of the influence of mindfulness and personal growth initiative on wisdom reasoning, enriches the research in the field of wisdom psychology, and provided an effective empirical basis for using mindfulness intervention to promote the level of wisdom, so as to actively cultivate young people. Research is conducive to the cultivation of wisdom in practice, to provide an effective and feasible path. In view of this research result, in order to effectively carry out wise education in the germination period of individual wisdom, schools may consider incorporating mindfulness training into educational practice and timely training in the critical period of wisdom development. Recent empirical studies have confirmed that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) can enhance mindfulness traits by increasing repetitive meditation exercises to cultivate more state mindfulness (Kiken, Garland, Bluth, & Gaylord, 2015). Individuals can also activate their mindfulness state through mindfulness meditation exercises in daily life to enhance their ability of wise reasoning.

Key words

Wise reasoning / Mindfulness / Personal growth initiative / College students

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Wang YiMeng Zhen-Dong WANG Fengyan FengyanWang. The Relationship between Mindfulness and Wise Reasoning among College Students: The Mediating Role of Personal Growth Initiative[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2022, 45(1): 54-60
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